Repairs to Carrier's Anchor Windlass Completed in Record Time
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility employees and shipâs force worked together to repair the anchor windlass on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in about a third of the time it took previously.The anchor windlass is comprised of motors, gears and other parts responsible for the controlled lowering and raising of the chain and anchor, which can weigh up to 200,000 pounds on a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. It's a difficult job that requires much planning and complicated execution.According to Shawn Carragher and Zac MaloneâŚ
The Need for [U.S. Navy Shipbuilding] Speed
The Navy wants, and needs, more ships; but it canât build them fast enough.While the U.S. Navy aims to achieve a 355-ship fleet, it is decommissioning older (and some not so old) ships at about the same rate it's adding new ones.A Congressional Research Service report stated that, as of April 17, 2023, the Navy included 296 battle force ships. "The Navy projects that under its FY2024 budget submission, the Navy would include 293 battle force ships at the end of FY2024 and 291 battle force ships at the end of FY2028."But there is progressâŚ
USS Nimitz Records 350,000th Arrested Landing
USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the oldest-serving U.S commissioned aircraft carrier in the world, successfully completed its 350,000th arrested aircraft landing recently while sailing in the South China Sea, a milestone nearly 48 years in the making.Nimitzâs first arrested landing was conducted in 1975, the same year of the shipâs commissioning. Since commissioning, Nimitz has sailed 30 deployments and served in countless operations and missions. It serves as the flagship of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG) which is currently on a regularly-scheduled deployment in the U.S.
Taiwan Watching Chinese Movements After Beijing Denounces US Speaker Meeting
Taiwan was keeping a close watch on a Chinese aircraft carrier and threats to inspect ships in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday after Beijing condemned a meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.McCarthy - the third highest ranking official in the U.S. leadership hierarchy - and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers met Tsai on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.The meeting took place at a low ebb of U.S.-China relations and despite threats of retaliation from BeijingâŚ
Great Ships '22: USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125)
The Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer - The worldâs most successful post-war surface combatantsThe USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class of guided missile destroyers can rightfully be called the most successful class of surface combatants in the post-World War II era. The lead ship was commissioned in 1991, and the Navy is still building them at Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. A total of 89 have been procured through FY2022âŚ
How Will Biden's Iran Strategy Impact Shipping?
How will Biden read Iranian hostilities? Forceful diplomacy or reckless militancy?Anticipating the Biden Administrationâs Iran strategy is crucial for understanding future risks for maritime operators in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and wider Indian Ocean.Though the new U.S. Administration and the Iranian regime have stated their willingness to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, they are unlikely to do so.
Fit for Fight: Navies challenged by COVID at sea, ashore
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, navies adjusted how they operate at home and while deployed, to keep their forces ready for any missions as they keep their Sailors, families, communities, as well as allies and partners safe from the coronavirus.Navies have taken a number of prudent preventative measures to limit outbreaks, mitigate cases of infection and reduce the community spread of the virus.Speaking during his May 29 âOn The Horizon: Navigating the European and African Theatersâ podcast, Admiral James G. Foggo III, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, said The U.S.
US Navy Searching for Missing Sailor in Arabian Sea
The United States Navy is searching for a sailor missing from one of its aircraft carriers, USS Nimitz, in the northern Arabian Sea, the U.S. 5th Fleet said on Sunday.âUSS Nimitz called man overboard at 6:47 p.m. local time on September 6 after personnel aboard the ship were unable to locate the Sailor following a shipwide searchâ, the statement on Twitter said.The Nimitz and the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton were conducting search and rescue operations. The sailorâs name was withheld, in accordance with U.S. Navy Policy.(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
US Holds Naval Exercises with Allies in Asia amid China Tension
The United States is conducting two military exercises in Asian waters this week involving allies Japan, Australia and India, the U.S. navy said on Tuesday.The exercises come as military rivalry between the United States and China is intensifying and days after the United States said Chinaâs claims of sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea were illegal.The United States has long opposed Chinaâs expansive territorial claims on the South China Sea, sending warships regularly through the strategic waterway to demonstrate freedom of navigation.China opposes such exercises and said the U.S.
U.S. Aircraft Carriers Return to South China Sea Amid Tensions
For the second time in two weeks, the United States has deployed two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy said on Friday, as China and the United States accuse each other of stoking tensions in the region.The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan carried out operations and military exercises in the contested waterway between July 4 and July 6, and returned to the region on Friday, according to a U.S. Navy statement."Nimitz and Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are operating in the South China SeaâŚ
US Navy Carriers Conduct South China Sea Drills
Two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are conducting exercises in the contested South China Sea within sight of Chinese naval vessels spotted near the flotilla, the commander of one of the carriers, the USS Nimitz, told Reuters on Monday.âThey have seen us and we have seen them,â Rear Admiral James Kirk said in a telephone interview from the Nimitz, which has been conducting flight drills in the waterway with the Seventh Fleet carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, that began on the U.S. Independence Day holiday of July 4.The U.S.
U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Visits New Zealand
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visited New Zealand, Nov. 2 and 3, to meet with New Zealand naval leadership to discuss deepening the U.S.-New Zealand naval partnership and recognize New Zealandâs role as a leader in regional security. During the visit, Richardson met with his counterpart, Rear Adm. John Martin, Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) to discuss opportunities to increase interoperability through more combined operations and personnel exchanges.âWe are two very like nations,â said Richardson. âWe share the same values. We are two maritime nations. Our navies operate together, and weâre two nations that are dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region that allows for the prosperity of everybody.âRichardson presented a U.S.
Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz Enters Drydock
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) entered dry dock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton site, March 1, as part of the ship's scheduled 15-month docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) period following a six month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets. Nimitz will receive upgrades and renovations to a variety of systems to include steering components, hull preservation, combat systems equipment, aircraft elevator doors, berthing areas and a new stern dock.
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Returns to Washington
Washington-based ships assigned to Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 returned Dec. 10, just in time for the upcoming holidays following a six-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and the Arabian Gulf. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), with embarked CSG-11, returned home to Naval Base Kitsap, and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Kidd (DDG 100) returned to Naval Station Everett. The strike group consists of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70). The air wing and DESRON command staff disembarked in San Diego Dec.
Crowley Scholarships to Four USMMA Cadets
Four U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadets were awarded with 2017 Thomas B. Crowley Memorial Scholarships during yesterdayâs Containerization and Intermodal Instituteâs Connie Awards luncheon in Newark, N.J. Jenny Terpenning, supervisor, marine recruiting at Crowley Maritime Corporation, presented the scholarships to Midshipmen (MIDN) Joshua Cann, Vincent Policastro, Rebecca Snyder and Benjamin Starr while also formally recognizing 2016 recipient Chandler Chiappe, all of whom were chosen based on their academic performanceâŚ
Newcastleâs Operations Complete
HMAS Newcastle has rounded out her busy six-month deployment to the Middle East, completing some âfirstsâ and âlastsâ for Australian Navy ships in the region. During her demanding deployment, she patrolled about 25,500 nautical miles or five times the distance around Australia. She conducted a range of Combined Maritime Forces operations, including an attachment in support of the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and trialled emerging naval capabilities. Commanding Officer, Commander Mark Sirois said the deployment included many highlights. âDuring our attachment to the US 5th Fleet and USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group we conducted escort operations and a range of manoeuvres with US Navy ships,â he said.
Three-Carrier Strike Force Exercise to Commence in Western Pacific
The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) strike groups will commence a three-carrier strike force exercise in the Western Pacific, Nov. 11-14. Units assigned to the strike force will conduct coordinated operations in international waters in order to demonstrate the U.S. Navy's unique capability to operate multiple carrier strike groups as a coordinated strike force effort. "It is a rare opportunity to train with two aircraft carriers together, and even rarer to be able to train with three," said U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander, Adm. Scott Swift. "Multiple carrier strike force operations are very complex, and this exercise in the Western Pacific is a strong testament to the U.S.
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Enters 7th Fleet
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9 arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations (AOO) Oct. 25, after concluding operations in U.S. 5th Fleet. While in 7th Fleet, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMSG) is scheduled for a port visit and will be ready to support operations throughout the AOO before transiting back to their respective homeports. "The impressive dedication and resolute commitment to professionalism by the Nimitz crew while supporting day and night flight operations as well as the dedication our cruisers and destroyers was vital to promoting the free flow of commerce and enhancing our ties with allies and partners," said Rear Adm.
Inside the USS Gerald R. Ford
President Donald Trump addressed the more than 10,000 people attending the ceremony where the Navyâs newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was commissioned on Saturday, July 22 in Norfolk, Va. âWherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong,â said Trump. Acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley recalled President Theodore Roosevelt, who used to say, âWalk softly, and carry a big stick.â Stackley then turned to Trump and said, âMr.
Newcastle Completes Operations with US 5th Fleet
HMAS Newcastle has completed an attachment with the US Navyâs 5th Fleet in the Arabian Gulf while deployed on maritime security operations in the Middle East region. During the two-week attachment supporting the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11), Newcastle conducted escort operations and a range of naval manoeuvres with USN ships. Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East, Major General John Frewen, said Newcastleâs role directly supported the international effort to ensure a free and open global maritime trading system covering some of the worldâs most important sea lines of communication. âRoyal Australian Navy ships and personnel have conducted maritime security operations in the Middle East for the past 27 yearsâŚ
Iran: Drones Near U.S. Warships are Safe
Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) rejected U.S. criticism that it flew a drone unsafely near a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Gulf and it defended its right to carry out air patrol missions in the area. On Monday the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said that an Iranian drone had come within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of a U.S. aircraft carrier while it was in international waters in the Gulf conducting flight operations. Spokesman Lieutenant Ian McConnaughey said the Iranian drone "conducted an unsafe and unprofessional approach" as it passed by the USS Nimitz without navigation lights late on Sunday. Iran's IRGCâŚ
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in Arabian Gulf
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is carrying out strike sorties from the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). The first aircraft launched from USS Nimitz (CVN 68) was an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147. Accompanying Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 squadrons, part of that first flight include the "Black Knights" of VFA-154, the "Blue Diamonds" of VFA-146, the "Death Rattlers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, and the "Bluetails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121. "For the Nimitz Strike Group, today is game day," said Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of CSG-11. "When you hear the roar of the jets today it is for real. It's game on.
Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Begins Malabar 2017
Sailors and Marines assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commenced the Malabar in-port portions in Chennai, India, July 9. The maritime exercise Malabar, which was first held in 1992, occurs annually to improve interoperability between U.S., Indian, and Japanese maritime forces. The exercise enhances maritime relationships and demonstrates credible naval power in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. "The exercise continues to grow because we are bringing in more ships and we are bringing together three countries," said Cmdr. Vernon H. Stanfield, from Pittsburgh, and the Nimitz Strike Group operations officer. The tri-lateral, two-phase exercise is held in Chennai, India and in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.